Your Right to Cancel a Solar Contract (3-Day Rule Explained)
If you bought solar from someone who came to your door, federal and state laws usually give you a short window to change your mind. Here's how it works, and why a missing cancellation notice can matter.
The FTC Cooling-Off Rule
The Federal Trade Commission's Cooling-Off Rule covers many sales made at your home. Under the rule you generally have until midnight of the third business day after the sale to cancel. Saturdays count as business days; Sundays and federal holidays don't. You don't need a reason.
The seller must tell you about your right to cancel when you buy, and give you a copy of your contract or receipt plus two copies of a cancellation form. If you cancel in time, the seller generally has 10 business days to refund your money and cancel any related financing.
State home-solicitation laws
Most states have their own rules for sales made at home, and some go further than the federal rule. Some give longer cancellation periods, for example for older homeowners, and some add solar-specific disclosure requirements. Under some state laws, if the seller never gave you a proper cancellation notice, the cancellation period doesn't start running, or is extended. Check your state attorney general's consumer protection website, or ask an attorney.
Solar loans and the right of rescission
If your solar loan is secured by your home, the federal Truth in Lending Act may give you a separate right to cancel the loan, and that right can last longer when required disclosures weren't given. Whether it applies depends on how your loan was set up. An attorney can review your loan documents.
How to cancel
- Find the cancellation notice in your paperwork or the e-signing email.
- Sign, date and send it, or a written letter saying you cancel, to the address listed, before the deadline.
- Use a delivery method with proof, such as certified mail, and keep copies. If you email, also send a hard copy.
- Cancel any separate loan the same way and notify the lender.
Missed the window?
You may still have options, especially if you were misled or never got the required notice. Read how to cancel a solar contract for buyouts, transfers and misrepresentation claims.
Related guides
- Lease vs. loan vs. PPA
- Signs you were misled
- Solar not saving money
- The solar tax credit in 2026
- All guides
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws change and vary by state. Talk to a licensed attorney in your state about your situation.